Please, Don't Grow Up
by MiyaBlack
Summary: Alfred is growing up too fast, and Arthur is just realizing it. Oneshot.


It was a normal day for Alfred. His nana, tired of his constant nagging and seemingly endless energy had pushed him out of the house so he could play in the backyard.

There wasn't much to do. Alfred had explored every corner of his backyard, and there wasn't anything good or exciting to him anymore.

"If Arthur was here, he'd take me on an adventure..." he mumbled pouting and poking at the ground with a stick he'd found earlier on. A curious bunny had jumped out from the bushes and was staring questioningly at the small blond child.

Animals were scared of other people, but not of him. Arthur said it was because the animals knew he was a good kid and that's why they weren't scared.

Alfred smiled, "Arthur is my... he's my... he's my Arthur! He's not my dad... or brother... I'm not like a normal person... but that's okay. I still love him. And he loves me too!"

The bunny seemed to think about this for a moment and then sniffed, looking around. When he saw no one, he stared back at Alfred.

"No, he's not here." Alfred answered him, hunching a bit more. "He lives beyond the ocean and he has a tooon of things to do. He can't always be here. But he loves me still."

The bunny got close to him and pressed his nose against the child's hand. Alfred laughed and softly patted the bunny. "I know because even when we live so far apart... He does find time to come and see me."

The bunny closed his eyes, almost smiling as he let himself be patted.

"... I just wish he didn't have to leave me."

Suddenly the bunny rose his ears, and after looking around, he ran away back into the bushes, even though Alfred tried stopping him.

The small child frowned and pouted. But his face dropped and tears threatened to fall from his sky blue eyes.

"I hate being alone..." he muttered to himself, crossing his arms over his knees and leaning his forehead on them. "Everyone always leaves..."

Footsteps approached, but Alfred didn't feel like looking up to say hi, so he just stayed like he was, hoping that whoever was coming to visit wasn't looking for him.

He tried to quiet his sobs, but he really did miss Arthur.

"Alfred, what on heaven's name are you doing sitting down on the floor? You'll get your trousers dirty!"

Alfred didn't really care, so he ignored the voice and curled up tighter, and hiccupped slightly.

"Oh, lord. Are you hurt? I didn't realize-!"

A pair of large hands gently picked him up and he finally looked up...

To see Arthur looking worriedly at him.

"A-A-Arthur!" the child squealed and wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck and his legs around his torso.

"Arthur! Arthur! You're home! You are back! I missed you so much, I-" but Alfred's voice was too broken and he couldn't really speak through the tears.

"Oh, Alfred, whatever's wrong? Are you hurt?" Arthur asked, hugging the child back, and patting his head.

After a few seconds of sobbing, Alfred finally calmed down.

"I'm not hurt..."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I missed you... And I'm really happy you're here."

Arthur chuckled as he shifter Arthur in his arms to look at his face. "You were crying because you were happy to see me?" he asked, gently wiping the child's tears away with his handkerchief.

Alfred chuckled slightly, "Yes... It's a little weird isn't it?"

Arthur smiled, "A little bit. But I missed you too."

Just then, Nana, who was an old and plump woman, came out of the house to call Alfred in for dinner. "Oh! Master Kirkland! I didn't know you were coming home! Oh dear! How shameful! I'm afraid I just made a small dinner for Master Alfred... I'll hurry and prepare something for you too!"

Arthur just nodded and once she was back inside the house he turned to Alfred, "I brought a ton of things for you... I hope the trousers I brought fit you, you're getting taller and taller every time I come!"

Alfred grinned proudly, "I'm already as tall as James! And he's the tallest kid in the town!"

Arthur chuckled, "All right tall kid, come on. My things will be arriving soon, dinner will be ready too and you're covered in dirt!"

* * *

Arthur ruffled Alfred's golden hair with a clean towel.

"Have you been keeping up with your classes?" he asked as the child struggled against the towel.

"Ow! Yes, I have. Nana doesn't let me skip class... Not that I would."

"All right." Arthur replied slightly suspicious, "I'll talk tomorrow with the Professor, then."

Alfred flinched, "Oh... er... He's not in town."

"Alfred..."

"His... er... sister got sick and he um... went to Georgetown to check on her."

"Alfred..."

"She's really sick, he might take some weeks. Months, maybe."

"Alfred."

"... Yes?"

"I talked to him already."

"Oh... Am I in trouble?"

The child peeked up from under the towel, trying to give Arthur his best "I'm innocent!" look.

Arthur rose one eyebrow, "Should you be?"

"... No?"

Arthur finally couldn't help it and laugh. "You're doing fine, Alfred. We just have to work on your manners... And patience. But it's normal at your age to be so energetic... I think."

Alfred smiled sheepishly and shrugged, "It's just... it's too boring! Why does he have to teach me things about ships from books when I can see them right outside my window in the dock?"

Arthur sighed, "It's a bit more complicated. Come on, then. Dress up and we'll have dinner."

As they walked towards the stairs, Arthur stretched out his hand, out of reflex. The last time he visited, he had to hold Alfred's hand as they walked down the stairs.

Now, Alfred was already in front of him, jumping down the stairs.

Arthur felt something inside him twist. It was bittersweet. And frightening.

"Alfred you really do have to stop growing." Arthur sighed, as he started walking down the stairs too.

Alfred turned around and with the sincerity only a child can have replied, "Well, if you didn't leave, you would see me everyday and you wouldn't really feel like I've grown up that much."

Alfred happily skipped to the dinning room, but Arthur froze in the stairwell, weighed down with guilt, remorse and the feeling of loss.

* * *

The next day the both went to town. Arthur had to look over some "matters of the crown", which Alfred thought was incredibly boring. Then Arthur gave him a tour of the S.S. Valiant, the ship in which he'd traveled. That was incredibly interesting and fun and Alfred couldn't get enough of it.

Now, it was lunchtime so they had picked up some things from Nana in a basket and they'd walked over to a huge oak. Arthur had set a clean mat on the floor and they'd eaten peacefully.

Once they'd finished the food, Arthur had started reading a book and Alfred tried climbing the oak, but was having a hard time.

"Almost... got it..." he murmured as he tried reaching for a branch but missing it by far.

"Alfred, do be careful. Don´t-"

THUMP

Arthur jumped to his feet, dropping the book instantly and rushing to the crying child.

"Shhh shh shh. There, there. You're all right. Here, let me see your head." he muttered comfortingly as he gently passed his fingers over the obvious bump on Alfred's head.

"It's a bump, all right." Arthur said as he sighed, holding the child close, humming and old lullaby he didn't really remember where he'd learn it.

Slowly, Alfred stopped crying, but he still held Arthur as if his life depended on it.

"One day," Arthur murmured as he cradled Alfred, who was slowly falling asleep, "you're going to grow up."

He knew that. He knew that day would come.

"You'll learn one day that the downside of being one of us is that we don't really belong to ourselves. But that doesn't matter to me. I'll always remember these days. When everything is simple... Well, relatively so. When just hugging you and singing an old lullaby is enough to fix anything that hurts. One day it won't be. And we might grow closer, or we might grow apart. You may grow tired of me. Or maybe I won't be able to keep you safe... God forbid that ever happens. But no matter what you decide to do once you're taller than I am, I'll always love you and I'll always forgive you."

Alfred had fallen asleep long ago. And just as well, because Arthur couldn't keep himself from shedding a couple of tears.

"Oh, darling, please don't grow up."


End file.
